NDA shouldn't be invited to form govt, says Swamy

Janata Party president Dr Subramanian Swamy on Monday said the President could invite anyone commanding a majority in the Lok Sabha to form the government at the Centre.

Referring to the dispute between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party over who would rule, Dr Swamy said the President had the discretionary power to seek letters of support for the formation of the government (as in the case of Charan Singh in 1979), or he could swear in a prime minister and direct him prove his majority in the House (as in the case of A B Vajpayee in 1996).

The Janata Party chief disagreed with the outcome of the exit polls. He predicted a majority for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Dr Swamy felt the President should invite the single largest party, not the NDA, to form the government. The Congress, he continued, would emerge the single largest party. However, it should not head the government as the other major parties would not accept it.

Dr Swamy also urged the President to seek an explanation from External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on policy statements on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the insurance sector reforms during their recent United States visit.